It was in 1852 that White Sulphur Springs Ranch, of about 400 acres, came into existence through the efforts of three men, whose names were Gould, Friend, and Jamison. They worked at developing the ranch for a few years then sold to another pioneer, Mr. Fred King, who according to one source noted that he began running the ranch as a hotel in 1858.
The exact date of construction of the combination ranch house and stagecoach stop is unknown but is thought to be between 1857 and 1867. George McLear, a Jamison City merchant, purchased the property from King in 1867.
From that time until its sale in 2003, the property remained in his family and with the family of close associates. Long recognized as an important piece of Plumas County history, the White Sulphur Springs Ranch has been listed as an historic property in the Plumas County General Plan since at least 1983. The forced auction and sale of the property, house, and contents in 2003 ended the long tenure of family and associates. According to local historian, Edward C. Brown, now deceased, "The road in front of the ranch is now Highway 89 and paved, but it was dirt and not much of a road when White Sulphur Springs Ranch came into existence. That was in 1852. It was first a stagecoach stop, hotel for travelers and ranch, serving the stagecoach line that ran between Quincy and Truckee".